pinche
“pinche” means “damn” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
damn
Also: lousy, crappy
📝 In Action
¡Pinche tráfico! Siempre llego tarde por su culpa.
B1Damn traffic! I'm always late because of it.
No puedo creer que este pinche teléfono se rompió otra vez.
B1I can't believe this crappy phone broke again.
Ese pinche mentiroso no me engaña.
B2That lousy liar isn't fooling me.
kitchen assistant
Also: scullery boy, helper
📝 In Action
El pinche está encargado de pelar todas las patatas.
B2The kitchen assistant is in charge of peeling all the potatoes.
Todos los grandes chefs empezaron como pinches.
B2All great chefs started as kitchen help.
Necesito un pinche que sea rápido con el cuchillo.
C1I need an assistant who is fast with a knife.
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: pinche
Question 1 of 3
In Mexico, if someone says '¡Pinche coche!', what are they likely feeling?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Derived from the verb 'pinchar' (to prick or pierce). It originally referred to the person in the kitchen whose job was to prick or cut food items, usually the lowest-ranking staff member.
First recorded: 16th century
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'pinche' a swear word?
In Mexico, it is considered a mild-to-strong swear word depending on the tone and context. It's similar to 'damn' in English—very common but not appropriate for formal situations.
Does 'pinche' change to 'pincha' for women?
No. Whether used as an adjective (lousy) or a noun (assistant), the word 'pinche' always ends in 'e'.
Can I use 'pinche' to mean 'cool'?
No, 'pinche' is almost always negative. If you want to say something is cool in Mexico, you would say 'chido' or 'padre'.